Still stuck after installing openSUSE 12.1, due to Broadcom BCM4312 and WPA...

English Network/Internet
1

Hello All,

Sorry for bothering everybody with a long-standing issue, but (guess what?) I am stuck with continuous attempt to access my WPA wlan.
I have just migrated by HP Pavilion dv5 laptop from Kubuntu to openSUSE 12.1 KDE (root cause: I was fed up with the former’s awful new package manager…:sarcastic: ).
Everything seems fine, except for my frustration with the wireless. I have been through most how-to’s and forums on the internet, but still stuck with no result.

PROBLEM
Wireless board is up and running, but when I try to access my wlan, KNetworkManager scans, finds it, and then contacts it correctly. Unfortunately, then it keeps on trying to get authorization without succeeding, and is forced to give up after 1min or so; with Kubuntu or Windows, I had no problem with it, so HW failure is out of scope.
A few times it was in fact able to get authorization and access internet, only to lose connection after roughly 30s.

DATA
HW-wise, I do not start from the best point: my laptop makes use of the infamous Broadcom BCM4312. See below:

Xabaras:~ # hwinfo --wlan
24: PCI 200.0: 0282 WLAN controller                             
  [Created at pci.319]
  Unique ID: y9sn.bL_9V016GP1
  Parent ID: z8Q3.TJZXZ7JTzMB
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.0/0000:02:00.0
  SysFS BusID: 0000:02:00.0
  Hardware Class: network
  Model: "Hewlett-Packard Company BCM4312 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller"
  Vendor: pci 0x14e4 "Broadcom"
  Device: pci 0x4315 "BCM4312 802.11b/g"
  SubVendor: pci 0x103c "Hewlett-Packard Company"
  SubDevice: pci 0x137d "BCM4312 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller"
  Revision: 0x01
  Driver: "b43-pci-bridge"
  Driver Modules: "ssb"
  Device File: wlan0
  Features: WLAN
  Memory Range: 0xde200000-0xde203fff (rw,non-prefetchable)
  IRQ: 16 (no events)
  HW Address: 00:21:00:ad:6f:19
  Link detected: no
  WLAN channels: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
  WLAN frequencies: 2.412 2.417 2.422 2.427 2.432 2.437 2.442 2.447 2.452 2.457 2.462 2.467 2.472 2.484
  WLAN encryption modes: WEP40 WEP104 TKIP CCMP
  WLAN authentication modes: open sharedkey wpa-psk wpa-eap
  Module Alias: "pci:v000014E4d00004315sv0000103Csd0000137Dbc02sc80i00"
  Driver Info #0:
    Driver Status: ssb is active
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe ssb"
  Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
  Attached to: #7 (PCI bridge)

As of drivers, I have attempted both the wl and the b43 solutions (each time blacklisting the other one), and finally resolved to use the latter, since the wl drivers were giving more setup problems. So, my current blacklist is:

more /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
blacklist wl

Now, I have not been properly able yet to understand how NetworkManager and wpa_supplicant properly interacts. I setup my wlan into NM and then, due to lack of success, have tried to shut it down and directly work with wpa_gui. Pointlessly. Even wpa_gui is not able to connect to my lan. See below my wlan profile and how I set up wpa_supplicant.conf:

Xabaras:~ # iwlist scan
lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0     Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - Address: 00:22:B0:B1:0A:D0
                    Channel:1
                    Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
                    Quality=70/70  Signal level=-3 dBm  
                    Encryption key:on
                    ESSID:"XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
                              9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s
                    Bit Rates:24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Mode:Master
                    Extra:tsf=000001fa49bac59b
                    Extra: Last beacon: 1052ms ago
                    IE: Unknown: 001C5069616E2046616D696C7920576972656C657373204E6574776F726B
                    IE: Unknown: 010882848B960C121824
                    IE: Unknown: 030101
                    IE: Unknown: 2A0100
                    IE: Unknown: 32043048606C
                    IE: WPA Version 1
                        Group Cipher : TKIP
                        Pairwise Ciphers (1) : TKIP
                        Authentication Suites (1) : PSK
          Cell 02 - Address: 00:22:3F:56:74:28
                    Channel:1
                    Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
                    Quality=28/70  Signal level=-82 dBm  
                    Encryption key:on
                    ESSID:"XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s
                              24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Bit Rates:6 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s
                    Mode:Master
                    Extra:tsf=0000008b2bbc53ec
                    Extra: Last beacon: 1128ms ago
                    IE: Unknown: 001C5069616E2046616D696C7920576972656C657373204E6574776F726B
                    IE: Unknown: 010882848B962430486C
                    IE: Unknown: 030101
                    IE: Unknown: 2A0104
                    IE: Unknown: 2F0104
                    IE: Unknown: 32040C121860
                    IE: Unknown: DD710050F204104A00011010440001021041000100103B00010310470010000102030405060708090A0B0C0D0EBB1021000744474E323030301023000744474E323030301024000631323334353610420004313233341054000800060050F20400011011000744474E32303030100800020088
                    IE: Unknown: DD090010180202F4050000
                    IE: WPA Version 1
                        Group Cipher : TKIP
                        Pairwise Ciphers (1) : TKIP
                        Authentication Suites (1) : PSK
                    IE: Unknown: DD180050F2020101800003A4000027A4000042435E0062322F00

Note: I have two AP’s for the same wlan. Cell0 is my close-by repeater (-3dBM) and Cell1 is the faraway router (-72dBm). I access the former of course.

Xabaras:~ # more /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
ctrl_interface_group=wheel
network={
       ssid="XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
       proto=RSN
       key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
       pairwise=TKIP
       group=TKIP 
       psk=YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
}

That’s it. It is getting into real frustration and I can see the subject has already been widely covered, but really I cannot sort out this WPA thing (unprotected, it works of course).
Can anybody help met?

Thank you!

2

When you can not get the BCM4312 to work with the default setup, it might be time to try the proprietary driver. It can be manually loaded, per the readme instructions found at this site:

Broadcom.com - 802.11 Linux STA driver

I also wrote a bash script I have used on my laptop you can find below:

copy the text below into a text editor and then save it as the text file ~/bin/install-wireless

#!/bin/bash

#: Title       : install_wireless
#: Date Created: Sat Jun  4 08:55:09 CDT 2011
#: Last Edit   : Sun Apr 29 11:54:00 CDT 2012
#: Author      : J. McDaniel
#: Version     : 1.21
#: Description : Install Broadcom Wireless Driver
#: Options     : none


#
# Broadcom file and site names at present time - Must update if file names change
#
bcwebsite="http://www.broadcom.com/docs/linux_sta/"
sf32bit="hybrid-portsrc_x86_32-v5_100_82_112.tar.gz"
sf64bit="hybrid-portsrc_x86_64-v5_100_82_112.tar.gz"

#
# Set files for 32 or 64 bit
#
bits=$(uname -m)
if  $bits == "x86_64" ]] ; then
  sourcefile=$sf64bit
else
  sourcefile=$sf32bit
fi

#
# Where do you download your files?
#
download=~/Downloads

#
# Determine if the ~/Downloads folder exists and switch to it
#
if  -d "$download" ]] ; then
  cd $download
else
  echo "The File Downloads Folder: $download, does not exist!"
  echo "Please create or change this folder name and start $(basename $0) again."
  echo
  exit 1
fi


#
# Main Program Starts here
#
tput clear
echo "This script file must find the files:"
echo
echo " $sourcefile"
echo 
echo "in the $download folder."
echo
echo "These files will be downloaded from the Broadcom Web Site if they do not exist"
echo "and you have a Wired network connection now.  If you do not have these files"
echo "and no network connection, this installation script file will fail to work."
echo
echo -n "Do you wish to proceed with the install on your $bits system now (y/N)? "

read CHOICE

if  $CHOICE != [Yy] ]] ; then
  exit 0
fi

#
# Download Driver file from Broadcom
#
if  ! -e "$sourcefile" ] ; then
  wget -nc "$bcwebsite/$sourcefile"
  if  ! -e "$sourcefile" ] ; then
    echo "The Driver Source File: $sourcefile, was not found!"
    exit 1
  fi
fi

#
# Request Permission to Install Files
#
tput clear
echo
echo "Are your ready to install: " 
echo
echo " $sourcefile"
echo
echo -n "on to your computer now (y/N)?"

read CHOICE

if  $CHOICE != [Yy] ]] ; then
  exit 0
fi

if  $UID -ne 0 ]]; then
  rm -rf hybrid_wl
  mkdir hybrid_wl
  cd hybrid_wl
  tar xzf "$download/$sourcefile"
  make clean
  make
  Exit_Code=$?
  if  $(( Exit_Code )) -ge 1 ] ; then
    echo
    echo "The Compile Process Failed with exit code $Exit_Code."
    exit 1
  fi
else
  echo "Please do not start $(basename $0) as a root user!"
  exit 1
fi

#
# Install Device Driver Here
#

sudo /sbin/modprobe lib80211
sudo /sbin/insmod wl.ko
sudo cp wl.ko /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/net/wireless
sudo /sbin/depmod -a

sudo cat /etc/rc.local | grep "modeprobe wl"
Exit_Code=$?

if  $(( Exit_Code )) -ge 1 ] ; then
  sudo echo modeprobe wl >> /etc/rc.local
fi

echo
echo "Your Broadcom $sourcefile and $patchfile files have been installed"
echo

exit 0
# End Of Script

To use the script, it must be marked executable. Open up a terminal session and the following command:

chmod +x ~/bin/install-wireless

To use the bash script, open up a terminal session and type the command:

install-wireless

I have used this on my laptop, but not with the present version. I modified the script to use it, but it has not been run just as the script appears today. All steps can be run manually as well, per the read-me file. Every time you update the kernel, you would need to run the bash script again. It would be best to make sure your kernel version is up-to-date before you proceed any further.

Thank You,

PS, make sure you have done this first:

Open YaST / Software / Software Management - Select the View Button on the top left and pick Patterns. Now, you will see several Patterns listed and you want to select:

Development 

[X] Base Development
[X] Linux Kernel Development
[X] C/C++ Development

Then Press the Accept button on the bottom right and allow these applications to install.

3

On 04/29/2012 10:16 AM, alepian79 wrote:
>
> Hello All,
>
> Sorry for bothering everybody with a long-standing issue, but (guess
> what?) I am stuck with continuous attempt to access my WPA wlan.
> I have just migrated by HP Pavilion dv5 laptop from Kubuntu to openSUSE
> 12.1 KDE (root cause: I was fed up with the former’s awful new package
> manager…:sarcastic: ).
> Everything seems fine, except for my frustration with the wireless. I
> have been through most how-to’s and forums on the internet, but still
> stuck with no result.
>
> PROBLEM
> Wireless board is up and running, but when I try to access my wlan,
> KNetworkManager scans, finds it, and then contacts it correctly.
> Unfortunately, then it keeps on trying to get authorization without
> succeeding, and is forced to give up after 1min or so; with Kubuntu or
> Windows, I had no problem with it, so HW failure is out of scope.
> A few times it was in fact able to get authorization and access
> internet, only to lose connection after roughly 30s.
>
> DATA
> HW-wise, I do not start from the best point: my laptop makes use of
> the infamous Broadcom BCM4312. See below:
>> Xabaras:~ # hwinfo --wlan
>> 24: PCI 200.0: 0282 WLAN controller
>> [Created at pci.319]
>> Unique ID: y9sn.bL_9V016GP1
>> Parent ID: z8Q3.TJZXZ7JTzMB
>> SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.0/0000:02:00.0
>> SysFS BusID: 0000:02:00.0
>> Hardware Class: network
>> Model: “Hewlett-Packard Company BCM4312 802.11b/g Wireless LAN
>> Controller”
>> Vendor: pci 0x14e4 “Broadcom”
>> Device: pci 0x4315 “BCM4312 802.11b/g”
>> SubVendor: pci 0x103c “Hewlett-Packard Company”
>> SubDevice: pci 0x137d “BCM4312 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller”
>> Revision: 0x01
>> Driver: “b43-pci-bridge”
>> Driver Modules: “ssb”
>> Device File: wlan0
>> Features: WLAN
>> Memory Range: 0xde200000-0xde203fff (rw,non-prefetchable)
>> IRQ: 16 (no events)
>> HW Address: 00:21:00:ad:6f:19
>> Link detected: no
>> WLAN channels: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
>> WLAN frequencies: 2.412 2.417 2.422 2.427 2.432 2.437 2.442 2.447
>> 2.452 2.457 2.462 2.467 2.472 2.484
>> WLAN encryption modes: WEP40 WEP104 TKIP CCMP
>> WLAN authentication modes: open sharedkey wpa-psk wpa-eap
>> Module Alias:
>> “pci:v000014E4d00004315sv0000103Csd0000137Dbc02sc80i00”
>> Driver Info #0:
>> Driver Status: ssb is active
>> Driver Activation Cmd: “modprobe ssb”
>> Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
>> Attached to: #7 (PCI bridge)
>>
>
> As of drivers, I have attempted both the -wl- and the -b43- solutions
> (each time blacklisting the other one), and finally resolved to use the
> latter, since the wl drivers were giving more setup problems. So, my
> current blacklist is:
>> more /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
>> blacklist wl
>>
>
> Now, I have not been properly able yet to understand how
> NetworkManager and wpa_supplicant properly interacts. I setup my wlan
> into NM and then, due to lack of success, have tried to shut it down and
> directly work with -wpa_gui-. Pointlessly. Even wpa_gui is not able to
> connect to my lan. See below my wlan profile and how I set up
> -wpa_supplicant.conf-:
>> Xabaras:~ # iwlist scan
>> lo Interface doesn’t support scanning.
>>
>> eth0 Interface doesn’t support scanning.
>>
>> wlan0 Scan completed :
>> Cell 01 - Address: 00:22:B0:B1:0A:D0
>> Channel:1
>> Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
>> Quality=70/70 Signal level=-3 dBm
>> Encryption key:on
>> ESSID:“XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX”
>> Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6
>> Mb/s
>> 9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s
>> Bit Rates:24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
>> Mode:Master
>> Extra:tsf=000001fa49bac59b
>> Extra: Last beacon: 1052ms ago
>> IE: Unknown:
>> 001C5069616E2046616D696C7920576972656C657373204E6574776F726B
>> IE: Unknown: 010882848B960C121824
>> IE: Unknown: 030101
>> IE: Unknown: 2A0100
>> IE: Unknown: 32043048606C
>> IE: WPA Version 1
>> Group Cipher : TKIP
>> Pairwise Ciphers (1) : TKIP
>> Authentication Suites (1) : PSK
>> Cell 02 - Address: 00:22:3F:56:74:28
>> Channel:1
>> Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
>> Quality=28/70 Signal level=-82 dBm
>> Encryption key:on
>> ESSID:“XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX”
>> Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 18
>> Mb/s
>> 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
>> Bit Rates:6 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s
>> Mode:Master
>> Extra:tsf=0000008b2bbc53ec
>> Extra: Last beacon: 1128ms ago
>> IE: Unknown:
>> 001C5069616E2046616D696C7920576972656C657373204E6574776F726B
>> IE: Unknown: 010882848B962430486C
>> IE: Unknown: 030101
>> IE: Unknown: 2A0104
>> IE: Unknown: 2F0104
>> IE: Unknown: 32040C121860
>> IE: Unknown:
>> DD710050F204104A00011010440001021041000100103B00010310470010000102030405060708090A0B0C0D0EBB1021000744474E323030301023000744474E323030301024000631323334353610420004313233341054000800060050F20400011011000744474E32303030100800020088
>> IE: Unknown: DD090010180202F4050000
>> IE: WPA Version 1
>> Group Cipher : TKIP
>> Pairwise Ciphers (1) : TKIP
>> Authentication Suites (1) : PSK
>> IE: Unknown:
>> DD180050F2020101800003A4000027A4000042435E0062322F00
>
> Note: I have two AP’s for the same wlan. Cell0 is my close-by repeater
> (-3dBM) and Cell1 is the faraway router (-72dBm). I access the former of
> course.
>
>> Xabaras:~ # more /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
>> ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
>> ctrl_interface_group=wheel
>> network={
>> ssid=“XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX”
>> proto=RSN
>> key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
>> pairwise=TKIP
>> group=TKIP
>> psk=YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
>> }
>>
>
>
> That’s it. It is getting into real frustration and I can see the
> subject has already been widely covered, but really I cannot sort out
> this WPA thing (unprotected, it works of course).
> Can anybody help met?

NetworkManager communicates with wpa_supplicant using dbus connections. It is
totally transparent to the user, and nothing to worry about. If you use ifup to
control the device, then the supplicant is controlled by a configuration file
that is written by the ifup script and the file
/etc/sysconfig/network/ifcfg-wlan0. If YaST is used correctly, the ifcfg fille
will be correct, but it is always worth checking. You will find an accurate
description of the parameters in /etc/sysconfig/network/ifcfg.template.

When you set up NM under KDE, did you use the wallet? If not, that is the
probable reason that the system keeps asking for the connection secret. I have
never used wpa-gui and cannot comment on it. I had to use wicd to help some Arch
Linux people with a problem and found that it kept freezing my computer - I
cannot recommend it.

I have two BCM4312 cards. The one in my laptop works fine, but the one in a
netbook has problems. I have no idea what the difference is between the two cards.

4

Thank you.
Actually, the wl driver I quickly mentioned above is the the same Broadcom-provided one you refer to.
However, it’s worth trying again following your procedure - I will post the results then.

5

To jdmcdaniel:

your script is of very good level and seems to have worked (see output below).
With installation of the Broadcom drivers via Yast, some config must have been lost since now they work as fine as with the b43 option.
Nonetheless, still the WPA authorization still hangs up and there is no way to connect, even if NM does make use of the board and is able to scan and indentify my wlan.

Any suggestion?

This is the output:

alessandro@Xabaras:~/bin> install_wireless



This script file must find the files:

 hybrid-portsrc_x86_64-v5_100_82_112.tar.gz

in the /home/alessandro/Downloads folder.

These files will be downloaded from the Broadcom Web Site if they do not exist
and you have a Wired network connection now.  If you do not have these files
and no network connection, this installation script file will fail to work.

Do you wish to proceed with the install on your x86_64 system now (y/N)? y
asking libproxy about url 'http://www.broadcom.com/docs/linux_sta//hybrid-portsrc_x86_64-v5_100_82_112.tar.gz'
libproxy suggest to use 'direct://'
--2012-04-30 16:25:00--  http://www.broadcom.com/docs/linux_sta//hybrid-portsrc_x86_64-v5_100_82_112.tar.gz
Risoluzione di www.broadcom.com (www.broadcom.com)... 63.251.216.155
Connessione a www.broadcom.com (www.broadcom.com)|63.251.216.155|:80... connesso.
Richiesta HTTP inviata, in attesa di risposta... 200 OK
Lunghezza: 1175410 (1,1M) [application/x-gzip]
Salvataggio in: "hybrid-portsrc_x86_64-v5_100_82_112.tar.gz"

100%============================================================================================================>] 1.175.410    250K/s   in 5,4s    

2012-04-30 16:25:06 (214 KB/s) - "hybrid-portsrc_x86_64-v5_100_82_112.tar.gz" salvato [1175410/1175410]














Are your ready to install: 

 hybrid-portsrc_x86_64-v5_100_82_112.tar.gz

on to your computer now (y/N)?y
KBUILD_NOPEDANTIC=1 make -C /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build M=`pwd` clean
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-3.1.10-1.9-obj/x86_64/default'
Wireless Extension is the only possible API for this kernel version
Using Wireless Extension API
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-3.1.10-1.9-obj/x86_64/default'
KBUILD_NOPEDANTIC=1 make -C /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build M=`pwd`
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-3.1.10-1.9-obj/x86_64/default'
Wireless Extension is the only possible API for this kernel version
Using Wireless Extension API
  LD      /home/alessandro/Downloads/hybrid_wl/built-in.o
  CC [M]  /home/alessandro/Downloads/hybrid_wl/src/shared/linux_osl.o
  CC [M]  /home/alessandro/Downloads/hybrid_wl/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.o
  CC [M]  /home/alessandro/Downloads/hybrid_wl/src/wl/sys/wl_iw.o
  CC [M]  /home/alessandro/Downloads/hybrid_wl/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211.o
  LD [M]  /home/alessandro/Downloads/hybrid_wl/wl.o
WARNING: modpost: missing MODULE_LICENSE() in /home/alessandro/Downloads/hybrid_wl/wl.o
see include/linux/module.h for more information
  Building modules, stage 2.
Wireless Extension is the only possible API for this kernel version
Using Wireless Extension API
  MODPOST 1 modules
WARNING: modpost: missing MODULE_LICENSE() in /home/alessandro/Downloads/hybrid_wl/wl.o
see include/linux/module.h for more information
  CC      /home/alessandro/Downloads/hybrid_wl/wl.mod.o
  LD [M]  /home/alessandro/Downloads/hybrid_wl/wl.ko
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-3.1.10-1.9-obj/x86_64/default'
cat: /etc/rc.local: File o directory non esistente
/home/alessandro/bin/install_wireless: line 128: /etc/rc.local: Permesso negato

Your Broadcom hybrid-portsrc_x86_64-v5_100_82_112.tar.gz and  files have been installed
6

So you may have answered this but in KDE I always enable NetworkManager and KWallet where KWallet maintains the WIreless network pass-phrase.

Thank You,

7

Do you mean that you see somewhere that my KWallet is not working (plz forgive my ignorance, I have never moved on from the old-style telnet approach…).
My KWallet is up and running, as far as I can see in its GUI; is there any deeper check I may perform to be sure?
Thank you

8

When the PC is first started and KnetworkManager is loaded, it calls up KWallet, which requires you enter a password to allow it to supply the Passphrase. It seems that you must use the ifup method, disabling NetworkManager to run only in terminal or to not require a password at graphical startup. There is nothing wrong with ifup method, except your network setup must stay the same and does not change. So we need to know if you are using NetworkManager (add a K for the KDE desktop) or ifup?

Thank You,

9

Correct. Indeed I am using NetworkManager. I initially setup the hardware via Yast and enabling “traditional mode” (i.e. ifup), which as well finds my wlan by itself, then switch to NetworkManager for better managing.

10

OK, I have made a step forward and possibly identified the root cause, which I would have to admit was lying somewhere else.

I have unistalled everything related to wireless (NM, wpa_supplicant, all drivers and fw, etc.) to create a blank table.
Re-installed all the necessity then, with b43 as driver.

All of a sudden, as root everything was working fine, then logged in/out to user, and no way. Then returned to root, bad again, bla bla.

Now:
my wlan is set, as mentioned by means of 1 router far away + 1 bridge repeater close-by. When scanning to re-install my wireless, from the map I can notice that at times it picks up the former, at times the latter. When it picks the router, as I had already experienced in the past, connection is not reliable enough even for carrying out connection/authorization.
This is why I had added a repeater - this time around it has hooked it, and everything runs smooth.

Is there a way, then, to drive my board to only look for the close-by repeater with better SNF?

11

On 05/01/2012 08:16 AM, alepian79 wrote:
>
> OK, I have made a step forward and possibly identified the root cause,
> which I would have to admit was lying somewhere else.
>
> I have unistalled everything related to wireless (NM, wpa_supplicant,
> all drivers and fw, etc.) to create a blank table.
> Re-installed all the necessity then, with b43 as driver.
>
> All of a sudden, as root everything was working fine, then logged
> in/out to user, and no way. Then returned to root, bad again, bla bla.
>
> Now:
> my wlan is set, as mentioned by means of 1 router far away + 1 bridge
> repeater close-by. When scanning to re-install my wireless, from the map
> I can notice that at times it picks up the former, at times the latter.
> When it picks the router, as I had already experienced in the past,
> connection is not reliable enough even for carrying out
> connection/authorization.
> This is why I had added a repeater - this time around it has hooked it,
> and everything runs smooth.
>
> Is there a way, then, to drive my board to only look for the close-by
> repeater with better SNF?

In the Connection Manager, do you see the entry for BSSID? Set that to
preferentially select a particular AP from among several with the same ESSID.

12

@lwfinger: Great man!! THAT was!
How was that I overlooked that parameter?!? I hooked my repeater with the BSSID and now everything works fine!

Thank you very much to the both of you!

@jdmcdaniel3: Now, once consolidated with its functionality, I will anyway try with the wl drivers - maybe it turns out they are better than b43 with speed etc.

Thank you again!

13

On 05/01/2012 05:06 PM, alepian79 wrote:
>
> @lwfinger: Great man!! THAT was!
> How was that I overlooked that parameter?!? I hooked my repeater with
> the BSSID and now everything works fine!
>
> Thank you very much to the both of you!
>
> @jdmcdaniel3: Now, once consolidated with its functionality, I will
> anyway try with the wl drivers - maybe it turns out they are better than
> b43 with speed etc.

The downside of using wl is that your wireless will break every time you get a
kernel upgrade until you rebuild wl again, or get the new kmp package.

If you find that wl is better for you, then at least make certain that b43 will
function, and that you know how to set it up. That way you will have networking
even when wl won’t run.